FSM Information Services
Press Release
In Accordance with Transition of Power, President Panuelo Begins Requesting Courtesy Resignations from Cabinet
PALIKIR, Pohnpei—After the National Election on March 7th, 2023, and in accordance with the usual transition of power from one administration to the next, His Excellency David W. Panuelo, President of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), has begun the first of a series of instructions for courtesy resignations from political appointees.
Persons who have already been instructed to provide courtesy resignations include the Secretary of Justice, the Deputy Secretary of Foreign Affairs, the Postmaster General, and the Ambassador of the FSM to the United States of America. All four served at the pleasure of the President and required the advice and consent of Congress when appointed to their position.
The Acting Secretary of Justice is Leonito Bacalando Jr. The Acting Deputy Secretary of Foreign Affairs is Brendy Carl. The Acting Postmaster General of the FSM is Juliet Jimmy. Jackson T. Soram is the Charge’d’Affaires of the Embassy of the FSM to the United States of America.
In the middle of April, 2023, the President intends to instruct an additional group of political appointees to submit their courtesy resignation, with a final grouping in May, 2023. Some of the political appointees will be asked to become consultants to assist the next administration when it assumes power on May 11th, 2023, and some will not be.
It is normal practice for the President of the FSM to have Cabinet and political appointees resign prior to the turnover of the next administration so as to give the next President the capacity to freely nominate their own Cabinet. President Panuelo is choosing to stagger the removal of Cabinet and other political appointees in the administration in waves so as to ensure that certain tasks are completed on schedule.
